What tools do you use for creating great content?

What tools do you use for creating great content? Writing is challenging. When you need to write for the web, the pressure to create and publish great content makes it even harder.

What tools do you use for creating great content?
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You can choose to start writing. Force yourself to start with an idea and a blank page. Which may result in not so great content. Or you can use a tool or framework to plan out what you want to talk about.

You can use simple tools like mindmapping or an outline like you used in school to write an essay. These are great tools for getting started planning. For some types of writing, you are going to need a different technique.

  • The Core Model
  • Content Framework
  • Pair Writing

The Core Model

What is the Core Model? It is a tool that helps you to map out your business goals, user tasks and context. The Core Model is useful in deciding how users find the content you are planning and sketching out the main content. It helps you to focus on your business goals and user needs before you start writing.

Content Framework

The Content Framework is a form that you can use to answer questions that are vital to the writing process. Questions like who is going to read this, what business goals does this page support, and what tasks do we want the user to do. It helps you do think about what you want to say and who is your audience before you start writing.

Pair Writing

What is Pair Writing? It is borrowed from an agile software development technique called “pair programming“. In Pair Programming, two programmers work together on writing code. One programmer writes the code while the other one reviews it. The second programmer offers suggestions for improvements. The two programmers frequently switch roles. This technique takes longer but generally produces better quality of code.

Pair Writing follows a similar pattern. One person writes while the second person observes, asks questions and provides suggestions. The two writers switch roles to take turns writing and offering suggestions for improvements. This technique can take longer but you get greater involvement from all members of your team.

Writing for the web is challenging. When you have a team of designers, developers, content writers and management, using a writing process like The Core Model makes thing easier. It helps you to plan out your goals, answer questions on what the content should be about and do and create content that focuses on your customers.